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About us
Our Mission
YYC Data Society is dedicated to empowering Calgary's data community by fostering collaboration, education, and support. We aim to build a globally competitive data ecosystem, recognized as a national hub for data science and engineering.
Our mission is to centralize resources, create educational events, and support grassroots communities, ensuring that everyone, from seasoned professionals to newcomers, can thrive in the data field.
Our Vision
We envision Calgary as a globally competitive data ecosystem, known not only for its premier content but also for its strong sense of community.
We aspire to connect mentors, founders, new immigrants, business leaders, students, and enthusiasts, creating a vibrant network that supports personal and professional growth.
Our ultimate goal is to make Calgary a national hub for data science and data engineering practitioners.
Our History
In 2015, the Calgary data landscape was a fractured space with numerous grassroots organizations competing against each other, often cannibalizing each other's audiences. This changed when a group of meetup organizers recognized the potential for greater impact through collaboration. Leaders of various meetups began organizing what we affectionately called the "meetup of meetups." By collaborating on scheduling, running joint events, and focusing on building an ecosystem together, we began to transform the landscape.
For some time, we operated as an unstructured umbrella organization. However, one of our founders, Theresa Smith, envisioned a "comic-con for data nerds" in Calgary—a conference by the community, for the community. This vision led to the birth of the YYC DataCon. To provide the necessary institutional governance for such a significant event, the YYC Data Society was formally incorporated.
Since then, YYC Data Society has grown and evolved alongside the community it serves. We have navigated significant macroeconomic changes, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid advancements in AI technologies. Despite these challenges, we have remained steadfast in our mission to empower Calgary's data community. Today, we stand as a pillar of the Calgary Data Ecosystem, fostering innovation, collaboration, and professional growth.
Our Mission
We create collisions between communities and individuals.
We nurture our data ecosystem.
We develop the roadmap to navigate the Calgary data landscape.
Mentorship and Growth
Foster relationships in a community full of professionals, enthusiasts, and lifelong learners
Unlock Trapped Potential
Bridge the technical and social gaps which hinder the adoption of the data-drive organization
Advance ML/AI Skills
Celebrate and advance the underestimated depth of Albertan data and ML/AI expertise
Share Resources
We are stronger together. We are a collective of communities sharing resources and expertise
Our Values
Connection and Collaboration
We believe in the power of networks and the strength of collaboration.
Inclusion and Diversity
We are a welcoming space for everyone.
Support First
We prioritize asking "How can we help you?"
Transparency
We openly share our successes, failures, and processes.
Innovation
We embrace new ideas and encourage a culture of experimentation.
Local Focus
We aspire to be the best version of Calgary, not a copy of another tech hub.
Our Impact
Since our inception, YYC Data Society has made significant strides in establishing Calgary as a leading data hub. Through our various initiatives, including the Community Support Fund, DataCon, and the Calgary AI Meetup, we have created platforms for knowledge sharing, professional development, and community engagement. Our efforts have led to a more connected and empowered data community, capable of driving forward as leaders in data science and engineering.
“Such a nice place to go with people who you want to socialize with. Great music and cakes! This is placeholder copy.”
Board of Directors
Director at Large, YYC Data Society
Organizer, Calgary Artificial Intelligence Meetup
Drew Gillson
Read Bio
Letter from the Board
The YYC Data Society is committed to transparent communication with the community. In the link below, you can read our stated goals from 2023.
The YYC Data Society was restructuring governance, growing leadership, funding community initiatives, and expanding events. Goals for 2024 included new partnerships and 500+ attendees at DataCon.
Read our letter from the Board
Our People
Looking To Get Active?
Contact us to see what opportunities we have available in the community!
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YYC DATA
Partners
The YYC Data Community is comprised of a consortium of local meetups and communities of practice. Find out more about all the great data-related groups from our partner organizations!
Founding Partner
Data for Good
Data For Good is a collective of volunteer do-gooders, who want to use their powers for good to help make our communities better through data. We help nonprofit and social organizations harness the power of their data through analytics and visualizations in order to leverage their impact in the community
Founding Partner
Calgary AI
We listen to speakers discuss artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science, and we also learn from each other. The content is varied, approachable, and valuable, no matter your level of expertise! Open to all.
Founding Partner
PyData Calgary
PyData is a practitioner oriented meetup focused on learning data science by doing with workshops, code examples, and real life examples. It is python oriented but not python exclusive.
Founding Partner
Untapped Energy
A community for data enthusiasts in the oil and gas industry.
Founding Partner
Women in Data
The Calgary chapter of Women in Data aims to be a space where women working in data science can connect and learn. We will go in depth into case studies and encourage members to put forth questions related to their work. We also want to grow support for women in tech entrepreneur spaces and promote the tech sector in Calgary.
Founding Partner
ADA
The Alberta Data Architecture (ADA) Community is an informal organization of data professionals that meet regularly to discuss matters of interest to the data community, and to network with like-minded individuals.
Founding Partner
DAMA Calgary
DAMA's mission is to provide a non-profit, vendor-independent association where data professionals can go for help and assistance. They aim to To provide the best practice resources such as the DMBoK and DM Dictionary of Terms in a mechanism that reaches as many DM professionals as possible and to create a trusted environment for DM professionals to collaborate and communicate. They meet the 3rd Thursday of the month at 8AM.
Founding Partner
Calgary R
CalgaryR is a community of R users living in Calgary. This community aims to get people together from industry and academia in order to share experience for various statistical and analytical tasks using R
Member
Calgary Data User Group
The Calgary Data user group (CDUG) is a local association that organizes events and activities to provide Microsoft Data Platform professionals with cutting-edge information about SQL Server and Azure technologies.
Get Involved
Are you looking to get active in the community? Contact us to see what opportunities we have available!
YYC Data Bylaws
The YYC Data Society’s bylaws define board roles, meeting protocols, membership, voting, and indemnification, aiming to ensure transparent governance and organizational integrity.
See our bylaws